Rod Liddle: UK Correspondent says the UK is set to make a decision over the proposed Chinese mega embassy in London

The UK will be deciding this week whether or not to allow the construction of a Chinese ‘mega’ embassy in London.  

The project has been debated for years, with concerns over the potential security risks it could pose for the UK. 

Critics fear the embassy, which would be located close to London’s financial district and crucial data cables, would be used as a base for espionage.  

UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Andrew Dickens he doesn’t think the embassy will get the go ahead in the end. 

The argument in favour, he says, is that the UK needs a good relationship with China to get money and investment, but this is a bridge too far. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks. It'd be
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
We go to the UK and Rod Little good morning
to here.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Good morning. You're not kidding either, absolutely ghastly over here
at the moment we.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Are by the fire with a z on Rod Little.
Apparently the Home Secretary has lost favor with the West
Midlands Police chief.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yeah, this has been a long running saw now ever
since the Maccabeu Tel Aviv fans were banned from actually
visiting Villa Park where they were due to play a
European Championship game, and he continually create Guildford, the boss
of the West Midlands Police Force, continually dissembled to MPs,

(00:56):
telling them things which were untrue about why they'd come
to this decision to ban Jewish fans from attending a
football game. And it really resonated with a lot of
people in the Jewish community over here and for people
who are getting a bit sick of what the cause
of this was, which was in the end, we found
out the news that local Muslim groups would threaten them

(01:19):
and possibly cause violent action against the fans if they arrived.
So a remarkable story. He's still clinging on. We think
he's got the support of the West Midland's Police commissioner,
who is a political appointee and a labor appointee. So

(01:40):
we'll see what happens. My guess is that his position
seems untenable and he really ought to go.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
Yes Home Secretary versus West Midland's police chief. I'm becking
the Home Secretary to put two away and put two away.
The goldkeep well is too good as well, So then
we go. We have a mega Chinese embassy sit for London.

Speaker 3 (01:58):
Yes, well, or maybe we don't. Who knows. This is
another one. It's been running even longer than the West
Midland stuff. This has been running for years. The Chinese
are going to build a mega embassy in the middle
of London. But also they're quite clear about this this
they've decided this huge room in the middle of it
which is totally secret, and whether it can carry out

(02:20):
various acts of sabotage they wish to. And it's also
we've noticed, it's been noticed now that it's right back
next to all the important communication wires which power the
city of London. It's just a remarkable story. I don't
think that. I don't think that this embassy is going

(02:41):
to get the go ahead in the end. The argument
in favor of it, of course is that we need
a good relationship with China in order to get money
and investment. But this is a bridge too far.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
I think very good stuff, Ron Little. I thank you
for more from News Talks.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
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